His to take

9. Sister Sister

Charlotte

Elizabeth is mad at me. That was enough of a rare occurrence that when it happened, it packed a few. When I arrived home, she was pacing the living room, her phone in her hands and her teeth gnawing at her nails. She had looked up as the door opened and in the second it took before she registered that I was home, I saw the deep worry in her eyes.

It had been an hour already and she still has not said a word to me even though I explained what had happened completely ‘forgetting’ to mention Nathan of course. She just stared at me like she would like to kill me and when she took a deep breath, I knew I had it.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was? Your cellphone was not going through, you did not call, and then it started pouring. Do you know how many accidents occur when it rains? I was worried sick Charlotte” She was yelling. She continued on to give me a definitive statistic and then continued with her ranting. “Do you know I called the station, but they did not take me seriously? I was thinking about calling dad” She said and I gasped “Yes, that’s how worried I was”

We did not call dad during emergencies. He was not okay and we did not want to trigger him. For her to consider calling him…I walk up to her and give her a back hug “I’m sorry” I tell her silently and she sighed then turned after a moment to hug me back.

“I know. Please call me next time. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you” She sighed hugging me tighter

“I’ll be fine” We stay like that for a long while.

“So, who came to get you off the roof?” Elizabeth asked me as she put a bowl of hot soup in front of me along with a spoon and water.

“Um...” I took a sip of water while I racked my brain for an answer

“Um…” She asked bringing her coffee to the kitchen table so she could sit with me

“Just another employee,” I tell her. It was not technically a lie. Nathan did work for the company

“And this employee gave you a ride to the station too?” She asked and I nodded “Does this employee have a name?”

“I am not sure what his name is,” I tell her

“He’s a he?” She raised a brow teasingly “Is he hot?”

“What?” I blink

“You like hot guys. Fernando, Jackson, Mason, Killian… they are all hot” She told me and I cringe at the mention of my exes

“Do not bring up those bastards” I groan and she laughed

“I think you did more damage to most of them than they did to you” She laughed “Remember what you did to Jackson after you found out he was cheating?”

“Don’t bring it up” I beg her closing my eyes to shield myself from the memory. I heard her laugh before she said

“Okay,” I open my eyes to see her taking a sip of her coffee “But who is he? If you could find out for me, I would like to thank him. Maybe treat him to dinner?”

“That is not necessary,” I tell her wide eyed and she frowned

“Why not? He might have saved your life”

“It’s not necessary. Plus, it is a large building. I will probably never run into him again” I say. And I won’t because I have been fired. But I could not tell her that. I would get a new job first. Then I could tell her I found a better opportunity and had to quit. Yes, that was what I would do.

“Is that decaf?” I ask her and she shakes her head, no

“I have work to do. I need to finish up on some things” She sighs and stood up “Go get some rest. Sweet dreams” She kissed my forehead and goes into the third bedroom which she uses as her study.

I knew she only had work now because she had been too worried about me to work earlier. It made me feel that much sorrier. I wish there was something I could do for her but all I ever seem to do was add more problems for her. And she never complained. Because to her, I was a responsibility and she handled all her responsibilities well. That was Elizabeth Kingsley’s way. On top of all this, I had lost my job which meant I could not support her dream. I put my head on the cold kitchen table and sighed wishing there was something I could do for her.

By the time I woke up the next day, the vacuum was whirring and so was the dishwasher. I leave my bed grudgingly and padded to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I sigh as I catch sight of my hair. I was lucky to have slightly obedient hair unlike Elizabeth’s nest of hair but my bangs were growing too long. I needed to visit a salon. Perhaps get some highlights. Then I remembered I did not have a job and I got angry at Nathaniel all over again. What gave him the right to ruin me as he pleased? The a**. By the time I left the bathroom, my anger at Nathaniel had turned into a frown on my face. “Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” Elizabeth asked and I just groaned and hugged her good morning before taking over the vacuuming from her.

“I was thinking we should have a fun sister’s day today. We could go to the amusement park, get you a new phone, and video call dad” Elizabeth suggested and I piqued up

“Really?” I grin and she nodded

“It has been a while since we had fun. I do not have any meetings scheduled for today so it is perfect” She says and I hug her excited

“That is wonderful”

We hurried with our chores and then got bathed and dressed. We were going to call my dad when we returned but Elizabeth decided that she wanted our dad to see us looking fresh and pretty. It always made him happy. So, we set up her laptop on the coffee table and sat on the rug before dialing him.

The call was answered on the fourth ring and Agnes’ face came into view. “Hey Agnes” Elizabeth waved and the nurse smiled fondly at us

“My favorite Yin and Yang” She exclaimed and I giggle. I did not know why but I loved that reference. She called us that because of the contrast of our hair. “Calling for Mr. Kingsley?” She asked and we both nodded “He is with Doctor Sam right now. I will call you back in a minute” She promised

“Alright” Elizabeth answered and after the call ended we both looked at each other with worry in our eyes. It had never been a good sign when Dad starts seeing Doctor Sam.

“He will be fine,” I tell Elizabeth and she nodded before sighing “Hey” I wrap my arm around her “It will be fine. Don’t worry” She opened her mouth to say something but the clinic called back and Elizabeth quickly answered.

“He is ready for you,” Nurse Agnes said and put the laptop in front of a bed where my dad was sitting back on some pillows

“My angels” He smiled and we waved at him

“Dad, how are you doing?” Elizabeth asked him and he nodded back at her. Dad found it difficult to talk to Elizabeth at times because she looked like mom. I, on the other hand, looked like the blonde-haired, blue-eyed man telling us about his week.

“So, either of you planning on introducing your old man to his son-in-law?” Dad winked and I gasped

“Dad!” We chorused but he just laughed and sat back in his bed

“I was just wondering” He shrugged then sighed and lay back on his pillows “I do not know what they give me here but I am dead tired these days,” He says and something must have flicked across Elizabeth’s face because he sat up straight “I am fine love. Promise. I was just with Doctor Sam and he says my records are looking good. I might even be able to come home under supervision. I need to see how you girls are doing for myself”

“We are fine dad” I promised

“I am sorry I could not be there with you after, you know, Ren” He looked down in shame

“We are okay” We promised him

“Enough of the sad stuff. Got any occurrences in the hospital lately?” I ask and my dad’s eyes sparked before he burst into stories of his fellow patients.

A smile played on my lips as I listened. The man in front of me was different from the man in my earliest memories. He was leaner and looked a lot sadder. After mom died, both his physical and mental health took a nose dive. He held it together till we went to college but after that, he had to be admitted to a hospital. He has been admitted for the better part of the last 6 years. He never once thought about remarrying after mom died even though he was young. He joked that the members of his family were like werewolves. They only had one mate and without their mate, they would be lost forever. I did not want to believe that but it was hard not to with the evidence sitting in front of me.

We talked for another hour before another nurse came to give him his pills and they made me sleepy so we had to hang up. Elizabeth was looking better as she was assured by his chipper tone. “Let’s go have fun,” I say pulling her up

“Yea, yea” She agreed and carried her car keys “But food first. How’s chick fila?” She asked unlocking the car door

“Perfect” I gave her two thumbs up and she laughed.

The rest of the day passed by in a happy blur. We got me a new phone, then headed to the park which was crowded since it was the weekend and we spent more time in lines than on rides but that was completely alright. I think waiting is half the fun. A million pictures later, we were on our way back to the car with our triple scoop ice cream when her phone rang.

“Hold this?” She asks giving me her ice cream and I collect it gladly. I had been wanting to taste her pistachio scoop. “Hello”

She was on the call for a while so I went to sit on a bench to wait. I smiled at the kids that passed by. They were so adorable, they made me want kids. I wondered what my kids would look like but then realized I needed to consider the father too. My mind went to Nathan. Yea, we would have the cutest kids. They could have his copper hair and my blue eyes. I wonder whose temper they’d get. It would be much better if…I stopped my thoughts immediately. Why would I want to have kids with that sniveling bastard? Sure I wanted to tumble in the sheets with him but that was understandable, he was sexy. But kids? Definitely not.

Fingers sapped in front of my face and I realized that I have been staring off into space and Elizabeth was done with her call. “What were you thinking about?” She asked sitting down beside me while I handed her back her ice cream

“Just this and that,” I say

“Work?” She asks and it hits me again that I was lying to her. But I would find another job soon and it would all be okay.

“Who was the call from?” I ask

“The salon. My lawyer came by earlier. I have a meeting with her in an hour. I will drop you home first. Come on” She stood up

“Where is the meeting taking place?” I ask

“In the town. Granger Hotel.”

“That is great. I was going to shop for a dress shirt. I can just do that while you have your meeting so you don’t have to go all the way home”

“Alright then. Leggo” She answered.